Former Georgia Governor and 39th U.S. President Jimmy Carter celebrates his 100th birthday and remains the oldest living president in American history after dedicating his life to public service.
Growing up in Plains, Georgia, Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946 before entering his seven-year tenure of active duty. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1949 after beginning his military career on the USS Pomfret.
Carter entered the political scene when he defeated Homer Moore for an open seat in the Georgia State Senate, in which the original tally consisted of an organized scheme aimed toward a fraudulent result. A state court ruled that another election in the district must be conducted. Carter won that election by 831 votes.
Carter served in the state senate until he shifted his sights to his initial run for governor in 1966. He finished third in the Democratic primary behind Ellis Arnall and Lestor Maddox. In his second run for the governor’s mansion in 1970, Carter earned his party’s nomination, subsequently winning nearly 60% of the electorate against Hal Suit in the general election.
Carter emerged as an unlikely candidate in the 1976 Democratic presidential primary, where he went on to win in a close race against then-incumbent Gerald Ford. This has been attributed to Ford’s low approval ratings following his controversial decision to pardon Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal.
As president, Carter faced a wide range of challenges, including a struggling economy that had an inflation rate peaking at 9.9% during his administration. His greatest achievement is cited to be his Camp David Accords initiative, which brought peace in the Middle East between Egypt and Israel.
Speaking with Georgia residents who remember Carter’s time as commander in chief sparked a variety of reactions.
“His presidency was met with hardship, but I think he was a well-intentioned leader who meant the best for our country in his decision making.” -Barbara Smith, Carter voter in 1976
Others believe his term in office marked the beginning of prolonged issues that have spanned decades.
“While he seems like a morally righteous individual, that didn’t make him qualified to be president. Many of his failures stemmed from his lack of leadership characteristics and have hurt our country long term.” -William Bradley, Georgia resident
After his stint in the White House, Carter has spent his life continuing to serve American citizens. His humanitarian work has involved building homes and volunteering in charity projects that have benefited those less fortunate.
Today he remains in hospice care, which he entered in February of last year. His late wife and first lady, Rosalynn, passed away in November at age 96.